Brian Peterson of Santa Ana paints a portrait of a homeless veteran named Ben, in the living room of his downtown Santa Ana apartment. Patterson's "Faces of Santa Ana," project focuses on portraits of the city's homeless.

Brian Peterson takes down one of his paintings at a home being sold by Ernie Aguilar. Aguilar has been raising awareness for Peterson's "Faces of Santa Ana," by using his work to decorate his homes during open houses.

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Santa Ana artist Brian Peterson and real estate agent Ernie Aguilar at a Santa Ana home for sale decorated with Patterson's painted portraits. Peterson paints portraits of Santa Ana's homeless population and uses the proceeds to support them.

Santa Ana artist Brian Peterson hangs a painting from his "Faces of Santa Ana" project in a home for sale in Santa Ana. Realtor Ernie Aguilar uses the paintings to decorate his open houses.

"James and Charley," a painting from Brian Peterson's "Faces of Santa Ana" project.

"Shannon," from Brian Peterson's "Faces of Santa Ana," project. Since it was painted, Shannon has gotten a job as a welder and is living in a veteran's home.

"River and Rebekah," one of Brian Peterson's paintings from his "Faces of Santa Ana" project.

John Wyatt, who lives on the streets of Santa Ana, stands with a portrait of himself painted by Santa Ana artist Brian Peterson as part of his "Faces of Santa Ana," project.

Brian Peterson, of Santa Ana paints a portrait of a homeless veteran named Ben, in the living room of his downtown Santa Ana apartment. Peterson's "Faces of Santa Ana," project focuses on painting portraits of the city's homeless.

Santa Ana artist Brian Peterson adds details to a painting of a homeless man named Ben. Patterson sells his paintings and uses to proceeds to support the homeless people he paints.

"James and Charley," hangs in a home for sale in Santa Ana. Realtor Ernie Aguilar uses paintings of Santa Ana homeless from a project called "Faces of Santa Ana," to decorate his homes for open houses.

Brian Peterson of Santa Ana paints a portrait of a homeless veteran named Ben in the living room of his downtown Santa Ana apartment.

Rain and Rebekah, a homeless couple who arrived in Santa Ana from Texas, pose with Santa Ana artist Brian Patterson's painting of them.

Real estate agent Ernie Aguilar and Santa Ana artist Brian Peterson stand in a Santa Ana home for sale decorated with Patterson's painted portraits. Patterson paints portraits of Santa Ana's homeless population and uses the proceeds to support them.

John Wyatt, a homeless man who was painted by artist Brian Peterson looks at other paintings from "Faces of Santa Ana," during the Santa Ana art walk.

Santa Ana artist Brian Peterson takes out a painting of a homeless man named Ben, in front of the Santa Ana Civic Center before revealing the painting to him.

When Brian Peterson and his wife moved from Irvine to the Artists Village Apartments in downtown Santa Ana over the summer, they found they had new neighbors besides the ones living inside their complex.

A homeless man and his wails became a familiar sound. Another homeless man wearing a bike helmet but bikeless became a familiar sight. Peterson neither loved nor loathed his de facto neighbors, but one day, inspired by the book “Love Does” on sacrificial love, the regular churchgoer decided to sit down next to the homeless man he could hear from his apartment.

Peterson, 29, learned the homeless man’s name – Matt – and that he moved to California from Kentucky to pursue his dream of becoming a musician, but his life choices hindered his progress. Matt’s one wish, however, wasn’t to turn his life around, but for the safety and well-being of his lost girlfriend.

It compelled Peterson, a car designer by day for Kia in Irvine, to want to lend a hand.

“At that moment, I asked, ‘Can I paint a portrait of you?’” Peterson said. “So he said, ‘Yes,’ and I took a photo of him.”

Back at his apartment, Peterson printed out a black-and-white photo of Matt and on a 40-by-30-inch canvas he applied oil paints – blues, browns and tones reflecting the depth he observed in Matt’s persona.

Then Peterson approached the homeless man with the helmet, Darryl, and discovered he wore it as headgear because he suffered from seizures that would knock him out. But Darryl was “full of spirit, full of life” and inventive, replacing the broken wheels of his walker with rollerblades, so Peterson painted him with vibrant oranges and the “U DA MAN” shirt he had on.

Peterson said the most gratifying part of his “Faces of Santa Ana” project is asking his homeless subjects to sign their portraits. Matt, Darryl and a handful of other homeless people that Peterson has painted might see a more tangible benefit. If Peterson sells their portrait for $1,500, he puts $1,000 toward a “love account” to purchase whatever they need.

Martinez’s story fascinated Peterson – she was sentenced to life in 1996 for stealing a toolbox, her third felony conviction under California’s “three strikes” law, she said, but was able to get her sentence overturned on the grounds of ineffective legal representation. Now homeless, Martinez said she has recently lost muscle and body tissue and hopes her portrait will sell so she can afford to see a toxicologist.

“I just thought, ‘What a wonderful man to reach out to people who are needy and awry,’” Martinez said of Peterson. “It’s so rare to have someone even look at you like you’re human, let alone care for you.”

Peterson’s investment in his homeless subjects doesn’t end with the portraits. He also sells prints of them for $85 each and puts $50 toward their love accounts.

Just as Matt became a familiar voice in Peterson’s life, and Darryl a familiar face, each of his subjects has become a part of his life. His fourth subject, James, recently suffered a stroke, Peterson said, and he picks up his fifth subject, John, every Sunday for church.

Faces of Santa Ana has captured attention beyond Peterson’s promotions on Instagram and social media networks.

Several months ago, Ernie Aguilar, a fellow resident at the Artists Village Apartments, ran into Peterson’s wife, Vanessa, carrying the paintings in the elevator. Aguilar, 31, a real estate broker who has lived in Santa Ana his whole life, asked if he could display the portraits at houses he shows.

At first, Aguilar wondered if the portraits highlighting the city’s growing homeless population might dissuade potential homebuyers from moving in.

“Obviously not everyone wants to have pictures of homeless dudes there, but unless you’re told who that person is, then you wouldn’t know,” Aguilar said. “I don’t know why anybody wouldn’t be open to it if it’s for a good cause.”

Sure enough, people who viewed Aguilar’s first house with the portraits gravitated toward them, wondered who the subjects were and were heartened to hear their life stories.

“I’m not even talking about the houses anymore – I’m just talking about all this stuff,” Aguilar said with a laugh, adding he plans to hold events at houses focused on Faces of Santa Ana and putting the proceeds toward oil painting supplies.

Just as his perspective of homeless people has morphed since he moved to Santa Ana, Peterson hopes prospective residents who see his paintings will gain awareness of the reality of the issue and contribute to a solution.

“The way the portraits are painted, they definitely shine a new light on the homeless situation,” he said. “I haven’t had anyone be deterred yet – I hope I can keep it that way.”

Jessica Kwong is a freelance correspondent for the Southern California News Group, based in New York City. She was previously a staff writer for the Orange County Register covering Santa Ana and transportation. A Los Angeles native, Kwong grew up speaking Spanish, Cantonese and English, in that order, and has spent much of her journalism career working in Spanish-language media. She started her career at the San Francisco Chronicle and has also been a staff writer for the San Antonio Express-News, La Opinión, Time Warner Cable Sports and the San Francisco Examiner. Kwong has won awards from the National Association of Hispanic Publications, California Newspaper Publishers Association, San Francisco Peninsula Press Club and Orange County Press Club and has been a fellow for The New York Times and Hearst Newspapers. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature in Spanish and English and Mass Communications from the University of California, Berkeley.

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